Tony Chambers on modernist architecture, design exhibitions and tech wrist watches

Tony Chambers talks design 
Tony Chambers14 March 2019

Tony Chambers on a new book celebrating the groundbreaking Isokon Building, the draw of the Bouroullec brothers’ new exhibition and how to tech up your classic wristwatch

Modernist Hero

I’ll never forget the first time I clapped eyes on the Isokon Building. It was 1986 and a real ‘where-did-that-land-from’ moment — the modernist, ocean liner-like form contrasting dramatically with the otherwise architecturally undistinguished Lawn Road in Belsize Park. But it was in very poor condition: shabby, forlorn and unloved. The Eighties were not a good moment for modernist architecture in the UK, with Prince Charles at the peak of his ‘carbuncle’ crusade and the Lawn Road Flats (as the Isokon was also known) fell victim to that misinformed prejudice.

Thankfully opinions and tastes change and an exemplary restoration in 2005 brought it back to its best. Now a full reappraisal of the building is underway with the publication of Isokon and the Bauhaus in Britain and an accompanying exhibition at the Aram Gallery telling the remarkable story of its cultural and social significance. Commissioned by a young visionary couple, Jack and Molly Pritchard, and designed by aspiring architect Wells Coates, the four-storey block of small apartments was completed in 1934 and was instantly perceived as the most exciting new residence in Britain. It pioneered the concept of minimal living — so relevant to London now — and its progressive design, convivial bar and dining club were a pull for international artists, writers and thinkers, even offering refuge from Nazi Germany to the likes of Bauhaus professors Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and László Moholy-Nagy.

Published to coincide with this year’s centenary of the founding of the Bauhaus, the book tells the history of the building’s design and offers fascinating tales of war, sex, death, espionage and the infamous dinner parties held there. Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand, Alvar Aalto, Bertrand Russell, Naum Gabo, Henry Moore, Julian Huxley, Agatha Christie, Barbara Hepworth — even the first celebrity chef, Philip Harben — all play key roles in the Isokon story.

The book was written by the journalist Leyla Daybelge and the co-founder of interior design company Skandium, Magnus Englund. It contains anecdotes by gallery director Zeev Aram and features many archive images that have never been seen before, as well as plans, sketches, menus, postcards and letters from the Pritchard family archive. Englund is also a former resident of Jack and Molly Pritchard’s penthouse in the Isokon Building, so his first-hand experience, knowledge and passion is unique.

‘Isokon and the Bauhaus in Britain’ by Leyla Daybelge and Magnus Englund, £25 (Batsford). Exhibition runs until 30 Mar, Aram Gallery, 110 Drury Lane

The Exhibition

Straddling the worlds of art, design and architecture the Bouroullec brothers’ work embraces simplicity and originality, whether it be a chair or a storage solution. For the first time in a gallery setting, the French duo will present a collection of their drawings. For both Ronan and Erwan, drawing is a practice in its own right and the exhibition exposes the singular techniques and processes of each of the brothers.

Until 6 Apr. Galerie Kreo, 14A Hay Hill, W1

The Building

Make the short hop to Milton Keynes to see the new MK Gallery, which opens on 16 March (pictured at the top of this page). Designed by London-based 6a architects, the new building includes gallery spaces, an auditorium for film, performance and talks, education facilities and a café and bar. It incorporates City Club, a major new permanent public space by artists Gareth Jones and Nils Norman. Located on the top end of Midsummer Boulevard where the city meets Campbell Park, MK Gallery will establish the centre of a new arts quarter.

(mkgallery.org)

The Tech

You no longer need to relegate your Rolex or banish your Breitling in favour of a smartwatch. Sony has launched two smart straps that will work with almost all (Sony says nine out of 10) regular watch faces. There’s the Wena Wrist Active in silicone and the Pro in metal. All the tech is in the straps, which feature an LED display on the inside wrist to inform you of notifications on your phone, track fitness and make contactless payments. Batteries will last up to a week. From £349

(sony.co.uk/wena)

The Person

Set designer Jan Versweyveld, always challenging the world of theatre design, brings two seemingly disparate worlds together in his latest work for All About Eve, directed by his partner, Ivo van Hove. Versweyveld sees parallels between the worlds of the play’s protagonist, Broadway diva Margo Channing, and pop art provocateur Andy Warhol. Utilising the exposed brick walls, the set is decorated with tin foil and silver paint, and populated with celebrity-style portraiture and slightly louche furniture.

(allabouteveplay.com)

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